Trans and Gender Reassignment

Gender reassignment

The Equality Act 2010 defines gender reassignment as a protected characteristic. People who are proposing to undergo, are undergoing or have undergone a process (or part of a process) to reassign their sex by changing physiological or other attributes of sex have the protected characteristic of gender reassignment.

Trans is an umbrella term to cover people whose gender identity/expression differs from their birth sex and/or perceived binary gender and includes people who live permanently or temporarily in one or more genders.

Gender identity is independent of sexual orientation; trans people can be lesbian, gay, straight, bi, etc.

A reference to a transsexual person is a reference to a person who has the protected characteristic of gender reassignment.

Under the Act, gender reassignment is a personal process, rather than a medical process.

The re-assignment of a person's sex may be proposed but never gone through; the person may be in the process of reassigning their sex; or the process may have happened previously. It may include undergoing the medical gender reassignment treatments, but it does not require someone to undergo medical treatment in order to be protected.

The Act requires that a person should have at least proposed to undergo gender reassignment. It does not require such a proposal to be irrevocable. People who start the gender reassignment process but then decide to stop still have the protected characteristic of gender reassignment.

Protection is provided where, as part of the process of reassigning their sex, someone is driven by their gender identity to cross-dress, but not where someone chooses to cross-dress for some other reason.

A person who is trans may decide to transition; that is to start living and expressing themselves in the gender with which they identify. They may change their name, use new pronouns (e.g. she, her) and alter their appearance and dress. Transition is a long process which may include hormone treatment and/or surgery. In the UK trans people can apply for a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC) two years or more after transitioning. This allows the person to have a birth certificate in their new name and sex.

Gender-neutral facilities

The University recognises the many non-binary and gender-fluid identities that exist, including trans non-binary identities, and there are plans to increase the number of gender-neutral toilets available across the campus. Initial works on the Library toilets will start in Summer 2017.

Transgender is an adjective, not a noun. Be careful not to call someone "a transgender." Do not add an unnecessary "-ed" to the term ("transgendered"), which connotes a condition of some kind. Never use the term "transvestite" to describe a transgender person.

The shorthand trans is often used within the LGBT community, but may not be understood by general audiences.

Always use a transgender person’s chosen name. Also, a person who identifies as a certain gender should be referred to using pronouns consistent with that gender. When it isn’t possible to ask what pronoun a person would prefer, use the pronoun that is consistent with the person’s appearance and gender expression.

•gender identity

•gender expression

"Everyone should be treated fairly, regardless of gender identity or expression."

Transition is the accurate term that does not fixate on surgeries, which many transgender people do not or cannot undergo. Terms like "pre-op" or "post-op" unnecessarily fixate on a person’s anatomy and should be avoided.

This Staff Network Group has been established to ensure and develop a positive working environment for Warwick staff who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or trans. The structure of the group is informal and will primarily involve email contact to share information on relevant events, opportunities and current issues. It is also envisioned to enable LGBT staff to meet one another and find support if necessary and there will be a e-lab forum where members can discuss problems or issues in confidence. The group is open to PhD students.

If you would like to subscribe to our mailing list for details of events, please contact Claire Algar c dot algar at warwick dot ac dot uk for further details.

If you wish to speak to a member of the ED&I Team for advise and/or support please email Claire Algar on C dot Algar at warwick dot ac dot uk

LGBTUA+ Supporters

The LGBTUA+ Supporter Programme is an initiative that any member of staff or student can sign up to, the programme is to empower all members of the Warwick community to create an open and inclusive environment for all colleagues and students at Warwick.

Hear about our LGBTUA+ Supporters programme from LGBTUA+ staff and Supporters in the video below. You can also find more information at www.warwick.ac.uk/lgbtuasupporters